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What's to seeGangtok Gangtok (population 50,000 and elevation 1,780 m) is the capital of Sikkim. It is a charming, laid-back town straddling a ridge with houses spilling down the hillside. The
places to visit are Enchey Monastery,
a Tibetan Buddhist lamasery; Institute
of Tibetology which houses rare statues,
manuscripts, ritual objects and thanka
paintings; Do-Drul Chorten, an
impressive stupa ringed by prayer wheels;
Government Institute of Cottage Industries
for fine souvenirs like choktse (carved
low tables), thanka paintings and carpets;
and the exotic market of Lal Bazaar. Around Sikkim Rumtek Monastery, a 24-km drive from Gangtok, is the seat of the Gyalwa Karmapa Lama. The sacred Tsomgo Lake (elevation 3,780 m) is situated 38 km to the east of Gangtok amidst picturesque mountains. The famed Nathula Pass (4,392 m) on the old caravan trail to Tibet is 20 km further on from Tsomgo Lake. In north Sikkim, Yumthang (3,782 m) is a mesmerizing scene with yaks grazing on flower-carpeted meadows against a backdrop of towering peaks. The 134-km drive from Gangtok to Yumthang takes you through Kabi Longstok, where Sikkimese history began in the 13th century with the signing of the treaty of brotherhood between Lepcha and Tibetan chiefs; Phodong Monastery, one of the six major monasteries in Sikkim; Chungthang (1,586 m), a sacred place blessed by Guru Rimpoche; and Lachung (2,684 m), an idyllic valley surrounded by mist-shrouded mountains. In west Sikkim, Pemayangtse Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist lamasery of the Nyingmapa Order, is a 112-km drive from Gangtok; Sangacholing Monastery, built in 1697, is one of the oldest in the state; Khecheopalri Lake is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists; Yuksam is Sikkimís original capital; and Tashiding Monastery, built in 1717, is famed for its stupa. In south Sikkim, Namchi, a 78-km drive from Gangtok, offers panoramic vistas of the snow peaks; Tendong Hill (2,623 m) and Menam Hill (3,141 m) provide unmatched views extending from the Himalaya to the plains of Bengal; and Temi Tea Garden is an opportunity to see how the aromatic leaves are grown and processed.
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